Day5:- Friday 12th June 2020
Morning Walk with ‘Doris’.
I loved my walk with ‘Doris’ this morning…. It was a very relaxing amble around the park today. Unfortunately, ‘Doris’ has been over doing it recently so it was more of a sit and chat rather than a walk. However, we did manage a loop around the park.
We notice the regular walkers in the park. It is interesting to see that the park isn’t as busy as it has been over the recent weeks… Is this due to people starting to return to work or school, or is it due to the change in the weather? It does make me wonder if everyone is OK as a couple of the regulars have missed a couple of days.
Motivations From Others.
It was great to receive a message from ‘Fatty Jen’ saying that she is back on it today. Session done. She was too hungover yesterday to do her workout but it’s allowed…. It was her birthday after all the day before!
It helps to stay focused and motivated when you are not doing things alone.. There is loads of support from others and vice-versa.. A couple of hours later, Keeley sent a video message saying that she had completed her BootCamp session and it was like being on holiday as it was nice and sunny. Well done girls…. you are both awesome and doing a grand job.
My Turn:- Pilates!
It was my turn to have a workout and I had opted for Pilates. It was with a new instructor today (Lizzie). Today’s class was full with 5 of us. I am so loving the fact that the classes are small for starting out with Yoga and Pilates as you get regular feedback from the instructors to correct your position. I am uncertain if I would be so dedicated to getting fit if I had started in larger classes.
The class starts with…… standing tall and engaging the core. It’s amazing how just breathing in and out at the right time can make such a difference to your posture and movement.
Just in with the breath, lifting the ribs engaging the core. Then arm reaches pretending you are picking apples from a tree. Remember the piece of string attached to head to make you stand yo tall. Now to circulate the arms to get the shoulders mobile. Forwards and then backwards. Change to the other side. There is still a difference between my left and right but today it doesn’t seem to be as bad. I’m sure this will change again but today it appears to be a good day.
Adding in a twist from the waist looking behind whilst the pelvis stays forward. Engaging the core back to the centre and then the opposite side. Same again but with arms out…. think I’m cheating without meaning to as I think I am using the momentum from my arms to twist further around.
Stretches to the side…. don’t bring up your shoulders. Keep them relaxed. Head to the side.
Arms up now. Pivoting then arms back a little then push arms and elbows back. Squeeze shoulder blades together. Ribs tucked in. Back in neutral position. There are sooo many instructors but after a couple of reps it appears to get easier to incorporate all the instructions. My shoulders are beginning to get tired but we continue to work the deltoids and arms are feeling heavy. It’s good for posture so I will persevere with it. One more exercise and then yes we get to do a stretch to ease it out. A few ‘aaahhhsss’ from the group. Wahoooo I’m not the only one feeling it. The other seems soo fit compared to me but I keep telling myself one day that will be me. I’m so proud of myself as to how well I’m doing. I honestly didn’t expect to see or feel the changes so soon. It hasn’t even been a week and I’m feeling amazing. Every session I feel as though I’m getting stronger. More toned. Fitter. Having more endurance and my posture is improving.
Stretches for the back. Chest out. Shoulder blades apart. Scoop in round up. Relax the arms, relax the head. Stretches out the back and opened up the chest. This feels so great.
Oh no…… sumo squats and sliding down the imaginary wall. Inhale to bend. Exhale… engage the core and back up. You should feel it is the inner thigh and glutes. It works on posture and spine muscles. My glutes are certainly feeling it today.
We stay with the legs. Calf stretch position. On train tracks. Tucking bottom under slightly. Should feel it in the calf and also front of the hips I love that it is explained as to why we need to do it. This is good for our walking posture.
Now inhaling and up onto the toes.
Working muscles in our feet now to lift our arches.
Oh No. we now add in the arms. Now up onto your toes and add in a twist/turn……. Oopss not that way….. twist the other way. Oh yeah that makes it easier!! It’s all about the balance again!!
Double oh no….. now lift the back foot. Keep your upper body still. Hips forward. No hinging. Glutes are working over time. Engage the core as you lift. It is so hard trying to ignore the glutes working hard as I feel as though I’m working extra hard just to maintain my balance.
Seriously….. sumo squats again before we move to work the other side.
It’s quite windy outside and I think it may have even started raining at this point but I don’t really notice it. I’m so hot as I’m working so hard it’s unreal.
I think we do heel raises and maybe something else and then wahooo we finally work our way down to the floor. Don’t think you are going to relax down here Gregory… you will only be disappointed.
Yip roll-downs. One vertebrae at a time and then back up. I have no idea how many we have don’t but I’m so pleased to hear those words….. just two more.
Superman here we come. Today I don’t think I did this correct all the time as usually I can feel my core engaging during the movement. I don’t think I was sucking in my belly butty to the spine when I was supposed to. Every now again I manage to coordinate the movement with my breath and engagement of the core. The balance element seems really easy compared to the beginning of the week.
Yes ‘Child’s pose’ but not here for long. We have to stick out one foot to the side. Get the foot pressed into the floor and move backwards. Should feel the stretch in the inner thigh. Oh yes I can feel it. But the good news I’ve noticed my reach is improving when I’m playing tennis.
Down onto our fronts and I am a swan!! A little one to start off with but gradually I begin to rise up some more. Opening up the chest. Sucking belly button away from the mat. On exhale try and lift away from the ice cube on the mat. Thank goodness it’s not a real ice cube as I feel as though I’m not lifting up today… at this rate I may end up with hypothermia! But yeah…. I finally come up and get the stretch.
Stretches the other way as a form of release.
I can really feel my core and glutes as worked.
Yeah seared exercises but oh no core is really been worked so much.
I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted re-living my session but you know what I am absolutely loving it.
I am sure there was some other exercises before the end of the class but I can’t remember what they were.
Extra Game of Tennis
Hurrah….. Sue was in my Pilates class today and we mentioned the other day when we were passing going to and coming from a class about taking our tennis stuff so that we can have a game during the day and today it was the case!!
I run to my car to get my kit out… OK who am I kidding… run? hahaha never… I take a leisurely walk to get my kit out and head to the courts. Again there is hardly anyone playing… some young lads were playing…. They are amazingly good. I so wish I could play like them but for now I shall just stick with my killer slice!
I feel as though I am moving around the court more freely. I now need to start running as some form of training.
After 1.5 hours of tennis, I head home for lunch, a soak in the bath and oops I had a little afternoon nap on the couch!!
Tennis Doubles with Leon v Sue and James
Wahooo more tennis…. This time it is doubles (thank goodness). So it Leon and me versus Sue and a young whippersnapper James! James is amazingly quick around the court one minute he is in the back corner and the next he has run the diagonal! He is like a ‘starfish’ with arms and legs spread eagle cutting off balls at the net. Hopefully, I will be able to play like him one day…. Keep dreaming Gregory keep dreaming. Mind you… if I carry on the way I am.. you never know it may become a reality.
Leon and I quickly lose the first set 6-1 oooppss. I feel as though I am still half asleep… Don’t worry Leon I am starting to wake up!!
We narrowly lose the second set as it goes to a tie-breaker…. No time for anymore as we had already played for 1.5 hours.
In all it was another great day at Summer Camp and I so cannot wait for tomorrow!
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